Coin slot for coin-controlled machines



May 3, 1938.

'v. LoNGARzO COIN SLOT FOR COIN CONTROLLED MACHINES FiledvJune 5, 1936 INVENTOR AT'TORNEY `Patented May 3, 1938 COIN SLOT FOR COIN-CONTROLLED MACHINES Victor Longarzo, Lynbrook, N. Y.,

`one-half to Samuel Hourmouzes,

assigner of New York,

Application June 5, 1936, Serial No. 83,633 1 claim.' (ci. 194-55) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in co-in slots for coin-controlled machines such as weighing machines, dispensing `apparatus and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple, efficient, strong, apparatus whereby the slot, when clogged up by the insertion of improper material, can be cleaned out quickly and easily I without dismantling the apparatus.

A further object is to provide a device which is composed of `few simple `and durableaparts which are much less liable to get out of order and impair the operative efficiency of the device. A `still further object is to provide a device l5 in which the plunger cannot be pushed in the full distance when improper material is clogged in the slot thereby preventing the inner parts of the machine from receiving the clogging material.

2 Further and more specific objects,` features,

and advantages will more clearly appear from a consideration of the specification hereinafter when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms part of the specification and which illustrates a present preferred form which the invention may assume.

4The invention, I considered in general and briefly comprises a plunger, preferably of the solid barrel type, which is mounted on a suitable support, which support maybe mounted on the outside of a machine or may be so mounted that only the plunger projects outside of the walls of the machine. Preferably the barrel plunger has a slot to receive a coin said slot being preferably vertically disposed in the barrel and of just the size to receive a predetermined coin. The plunger will have three positions, one a normal position in which the coin slot is outside of the wall of the machine but disposed over a projecting wall or flange so that the coin may be placed in the slot but will not fall out of it; two a forward projected position in which the plunger has been moved forward by the hand of the user to advance the slot and the coin to the interior of the machine so that the coin may drop out of the slot into a suitable chute in the machine whereupon further action of the machine ensues due to the dropping of the coin; third a retracted position in which the plunger is pulled out further than normal `so that the slot is retracted beyond the edge of the projecting flange so that the entire slot is open to View and accessible so that it can be readily cleaned out as desired without taking the device apart.

The invention further comprises a spring pressed latch or detent which presses down 4on the barrel at all times and will Vprevent the movement forward of the barrel or plunger beyond a predetermined distance unless the slot is occupied by a coin or equivalent device. `This will prevent the operation of the device when the slot is lled with paper, card board, chewing gum, hairpins, burnt matches, wadding, tooth picks, and other material which` people seem to delight in placing in such slots. When the slot is occupied by the proper element such as a coin or its equivalent then the latch is lifted far enough to permit the full forward movement of the plunger whereby the coin slot is placed over the chute and the coin allowed to drop thereinto.

The invention is illustrated in the drawing, of which I Fig. 1 isa plan view of the device with `the cover off;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof; I I

Fig. 3 is a cross section` taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1; v

Fig. 4 isa side elevation of the device with the cover in section;

Fig, 5 is a vertical longitudinal section through u the device showing the full forward position of the parts when a coin is in the slot. I

Fig. 6 is a partial vertical section showing the plunger fully retracted; I

Fig. '7 is a partial vertical section showingthe position of the parts when the latch prevents full forwardmovement of the plunger 01 barrel.

As shown in the drawing vthe device, in the form preferred at present, comprises a barrel like plunger I0 having a verticallydisposed slot II therein for the reception of a predetermined size of coin. The front end of the plunger I0 is provided with an operating head l2 which may vbe solid thereon or may be fastened by any suitable means such as a screw I3. The plunger is provided with lateral anges I4 and I5. The rear of the plunger is fastened by means of screws I6 by means of flanges I4 and I5 to a slide plate I'l. The rear face of the plunger I0 is also provided with a bore I8 to receive a spring I9 one end of which lies in the bore I8 and the other end of which bears against a fixed plate 20. This plate 2|] is spaced from a front plate 2l by means` of a number of spacing bolts such as 22. On the outer face of the front plate 2| there is disposed a casting 23 which may be integral with the front plate 2| or may be separate therefrom. This casting or plate 23 is a journal or guide for the front end of the plunger. A casing 24 may be disposed around the entire device leaving only the plunger l0 exposed for action by the user of the device. Furthermore the whole device may be placed on top of a machine or may be disposed Within the walls thereof with only the plunger and the coin slot exposed if desired.

The slide plate |'l has a plurality of holes through which the stay or spacer bolts 22 extend so that 'the plate I1 can slide back and forth on these bolts. Springs 25 may be disposed around the spacer bolts between` the slide plate |'l and the front plate 2| to resist the retractive movement of the plunger. The front plate or guide member 23 is provided with an under flange or lip 26 which normally lies under the coin slot as shown in Fig. 4 to prevent the coin from dropping out of the slot.

'I'he top of the plunger is provided with a tapered groove 2l with a front end wall just beyond the slot I and a rear end disposed normally back of the front plate 2|. Within the casing and preferably mounted on the back of the front plate 2| is disposed a support plate 28 acting as a housing for a movable latch bar 29 the lower portion 30 of which 'is like a foot and adapted to rest in and be pressed into the groove 21 by a spring 3| which is fastened to the rear of the plate 2|. This spring is of such strength that it will be lifted by a coin or its equivalent in the slot but will not be lifted by any softer material such as paper, gum, cardboard and the like in the slot Il'. When the coin lifts the foot 30 the plunger ID can be moved to the position shown in Fig. 5 in which the coin slot is then inside the casing and the coin can drop into any suitable chute. But if softer material is in the coin slot then the foot will not be lifted and the plunger can not be moved fully lforward as shown in Fig. 7 so that the coin slot is not moved inside the casing or front wall 2|.

In the operation of the device, the description is general and when specific is made so only with reference to the preferred form of the invention which I have chosen to show in the drawing. Many changes in the design may make the speciic details different but the general operation and action will be the same. When a coin is placed in the slot l0 as the parts are disposed as shown in Fig. 4, then the plunger is moved forward by the linger of the user and the top of the coin will contact with the latch foot 30 to lift it and permit the plunger to move all the way in against the resistance of the spring I9 the slide plate I1 sliding on the spacer bolts 22. When the softer clogging material is placed in the slot then the spring 3| is too strong for the material and the foot 30 is not lifted and the latch will prevent the forward movement of the plunger beyond the point shown in Fig. 7. This will also take place when no material at all is in the slot.

When the slot is clogged 'up with something and it is desired to clean it out, all that is necessary is to pull out on the knob |2 against the action of the springs 25 so that the slot l is drawn to the position shown in Fig. 6 where it is disposed retracted beyond the underneath protection of the lip 26 and thus is brought into full view so that it can be easily, quickly and thoroughly cleaned, without dismantling the device and with only the loss of a few seconds of time.

In most modern devices if the coin slot or head becomes clogged up it is necessary to wait hours and sometimes days before the repair man will come to clean it out so that it may be used again and this seriously impairs the operation of the device and involves great loss of revenue in the use of the machines.

While the invention hasl been described in detail and with respect to a preferred form which the invention may assume, it is not to be limited to such details and forms since many changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest aspects. Hence it is desiredv to cover any and all forms and modifications of the invention which may come within the language or scope of the appended claim.

What I claim, is:-

A coin slot device which comprises front and rear plates, spacer bolts separating said plates,

a slide plate sliding on the spacer bolts, springs l resisting the movement of the slide plate to- Ward the front plate, a plunger member mounted on the slide and journalled in the front plate and extending partly therebeyond, said plunger having a coin slot therein normally disposed just outside the front plate, a lip on the front plate disposed just below the coin slot when in normal position, a spring disposed between the plunger and the rear plate to resist forward movement of the plunger, said plunger having a groove therein, a latch member mounted on the front plate and having a foot bearing in the groove, a spring pressing said latch into the groove and strong enough to prevent the lifting of the latch from the slot whenever non-metallic material is disposed in the coin slot, said plunger adapted to be retracted to move the coin slot beyond the lip whereby it can be fully exposed to View and cleaned out when clogged up.

VICTOR LONGARZO. 

